Sensitive relay



Feb. 26 1924.

J. H.- HAMMOND, JR

SENSITIVE RELAY Original Filed Feb. 27, 1915 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 wZZ/ssm 1j m ATTORNEYS Feb. 26 ,1924. I,484;7U9

.1. H. HAMMOND, JR

SENSITIVE RELAY Original Filed Feb. 27, 1915 2 sheets-sheet. 2

in w mam WITNESSES ww fmlv ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR., F GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SENSITIVE RELAY.

' Application filed February 27, 1913. Serial No. 750,982. Renewed July18, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HAYS HAM:

,MOND, J r., a citizen of the United States, re-

siding. in Gloucester, in the State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sensitive Relays, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to relays for telegraph and other electriccircuits, and relates more particularly to relays where greatsensitiveness is required, as in radio telegraphy and submarinetelegraphy.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal plan of my sensitive relay.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my sensitive relay. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of my sensitive relay made on the line02-00 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the central part of mysensitive relay.

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the ivory blocks and mercury cu s.

In these drawings, ifierent views of the same parts have the samenumbers. The magnetic field of the relay is created by the current inthe coils 50 and 51,'this current being supplied from an externalsource, such as a battery, through the binding posts 53 and 54. Thecores 48 and 49 are connected at the rear by a yoke 52, and in front areattached to the pole pieces 46 and 47 Between the pole pieces is thecore 2, supported by the pieces 44 and 45, which are attached to thesupporting bars 41 and 43, the latter being screwed to the pole pieces46 and 47.

In the strong magnetic field between the core 2 and the pole pieces 46and 47, the light coil 1, having a number of turns of insulated wire, issupported in the jeweled bea rings 7 and 8. The fine spiral spring 5 isconnected to one end of the coil 1 and to the adjustable arm 3. The finespiral spring 6 is connected to the other end of the coil 1 and to theadjustable arm 4. The springs 5 and 6 are also attached to the axis ofthe coil 1 in such a way that their tension can be regulated by the arms3 and 4, respectively, and the position of the coil 1 adjusted.

The relay arm 9 is attached to the axis of the coil 1, but insulatedtherefrom, and at its extremities carries the contact points 10 and 11.The spring 12 can be attached to the relay arm 9 when it is desired toregulate the action of the relay. The spring 12 is fastened to the rod13, which is adjustable in the strip 40, the latter being fastened tothe pole pieces 47.

The ivory block or carrier 14 slides along the'supporting bar 41,.and isheld by the strip 42, and its position can be adjusted as desired. Itcontains the mercury cup 16. The height of the mercury in cup 16 can beregulated by means of the screw 18, and the mercury is connected withthe terminal 20, which is connected by means of the insulated wire 22with the-binding post 24, the latter being connected by a conductor, notshown, with the binding post 26. The ivory block or'carrier slides alongthe supporting bar 43 and strip 28, and its position is adjusted bymeans of the thumb screw 29 and the spring 30. It contains the mercurycup 17, the height of the mercury in which is regulated by the thumbscrew 19. Attached to the ivory block 15 is a small plate 56, holdin anadjustable screw 55, this screw being or the purpose of stopping thepoint 11.0f the relay arm 9 and preventing it from moving too far. Theterminal 21 makes contact with the mercury in cup 17, and is connectedby means of the insulated wire 23 with the binding post 25. The latteris connected by a conductor, not shown, with the binding post 27.

The adjustable arm 3 is attached to the bridging strip 31, which isinsulated from the screw posts that support it on the pole pieces 46 and47. The strip 31 is connected by means of the insulated wire 33 with thebinding post 35, the latter being connected by a conductor, not shown,with the bindin post 37. The adjustable arm 4 is connects by means ofthe insulated wire 32, with the binding 0st 34, the latter beingconnected by a con uctor, not shown, with the bindin post 36. The strips38 and 39, attache to the pole pieces 46, act as stops for the coil 1,and prevent it from swinging too far in either direction.

The action of my relay is as follows: Current from a battery or someother source is sent through the coils and 51 so that the cores 48 and49 and the pole pieces 46 and 47 are strongly magnetized, and a powerfulmagnetic field is created in the space between the pole pieces where thecoil 1 swings. The feeble currents which are received at the apparatusenter by the binding post 37, pass through a conductor to the bindingpost 35, then through the insulated wire 33 to the strip 31, thenthrough the adjustable arm 3 to the spiral spring 5 and to the swingingcoil 1. After passing through the turns of coil 1, the currents passthrough the sprial spring 6, the adjustable arm 4, the insulated wire32, the binding post 34, and a conductor, to the binding post 36. Thecurrents might take the opposite direction through the coil 1, enteringby the binding post 36 and leaving by the binding post 37. The currentspassing through the coil 1 will cause it to turn, the direction ofturning depending upon the direction of the current and the direction ofthe magnetic lines of force in the field. When the coil 1 turns, therelay arm 9 will turn with it, and when the turning is in the properdirection, the contact points 10 and 11, at the ends of the relay arm 9,will make contact with the mercury in the cups 16 and 17 and complete acir-v cuit from binding post 26 through a conductor to binding post 24,insulated wire 22,

terminal 20, mercury in cup 16, relay arm 9, mercurv in cup 17, terminal21, insulated wire 23, inding post 25, and a conductor to binding post27. A battery, or other suitable source of current, and any apparatuswhich it is desired to operate are connected to the binding posts 26 and27. Under certain circumstances a small, steady initial current is sentthrough the coil 1, which tends to make it turn when the magnetic fieldis excited. This turning tendency is resisted by attaching the spring 12to the relay arm 9, which prevents the points 10 and 11 from makingcontact with the mercury cups 16 and 17 until enough extra currententers the apparatus and passes through. the coil 1 to overcome thetension of the spring 12.

The position of the ivory block 14, containing the mercury cup 16, canbe adjusted, by moving it alon the supporting bar 41, and the position 0the ivory block 15, containing the mercury cup 17, can be adjusted withgreat exactness by means of the thumb screw 29. The height of themercury in cup 16 can be regulated by screwing screw 18 in or out, andthe height of the mercury in cup 17 can be likewise regulated by meansof the thumb screw 19. When it is desired to operate the relay, thescrews 18 and 19 are adjusted so that the top surface of the material inthe cups 16 and 17 will be elevated above the top surfaces of the ivoryblocks 14 and 15, and engage the paths of the contacts 10 and 11respectively, and when the mercury is so positioned the contact points10 and 11 will make contact with the mercury with verylittle friction.and at the same time will make good contact; The relay arm 9 is largeenough to carry considerable current, and so the relay circuit will beable to carry enough current to operate any suitable apparatus. The

spring 12 does not carry current and so can be made as delicate asdesirable. The various parts of the apparatus can be very nicelyadjusted, as already described, the moving parts move with a minimum of36116- tion, and the relay is extremely sensltive.

This relay may be used for the reception and relaying of signals inradio telegraphy, for receiving and relaying messages in submarinetelegraphy and for any other purposes to which it is suited. The detailsof the apparatus and the arrangement of parts may be altered as foundsuitable in any given case, and in general I do not confine myself tothe particular apparatus and mechanisms here shown, but various changesand modifications, within the knowledge of those skilled in. the art,may be made in the particular apparatus shown and described herein,without departing from the spirit of my invention, provided the meansset forth in the following claims be emplo ed.

aving thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A relay comprising an electro-magnet, a loop rotatably positioned inthe field of said magnet, a pairof carriers adjustable in predeterminedpaths perpendicular to the fixed axis of said loop, a pair of liquidcontacts in alinement with said paths and supported by said carriersrespectively, an arm connected to but insulated from said 100 and a pairof solid contacts carried by said arm and arranged to be rotated aboutthe fixed axis of said loopto engage said liquid contacts carried bysaid link and arranged,

to be rotated about the fixed axis of said loop to engage said liquidcontacts respectively.

3. An electric relay, comprising a magnet, a loop of conducting materialarranged to rotate in the field of said magnet about a fixed verticalaxis, a pair of carriers adjustable horizontally in predetermined pathswith respect to said magnet, a pair of liquid contacts arrangedsubstantially in horizontal alinement and supported by said carriersrespectively, an arm connected to but insulated from said loop and apair of solid'contacts carried by said arm and arranged-to be rotatedabout said axis to engage said liquid contacts respectively.

4. An electric relay, comprising a magnet, a loop of conducting material-arranged to rotate in the field of said magnet about afixed verticalaxis, a pair'of carriers separately adjustable horizontally inpredetermined paths respectively with respect to said magnet, meansincluding a screw for adjusting one of said carriers horizontally, apair of liquid contacts arranged substantially in horizontal alinementand supported by said carriers respectively, an arm connected to butinsulated from said loop, and a pair of solid contacts carried by saidarm and arranged to be rotated about said axis to engage said liquidcontacts respectively.

5. A relay comprising an electro-magnet, a loop rotatably positioned inthe field of a said magnet, a pair of carriers adjustable inpredetermined paths in planes perpendicular to the fixed axis of saidloop, a pair of liquid contacts in alinement with said paths andsupported b said carriers respectively, an arm connecte to but insulatedfrom said loop, and a pair of solid contacts carried by said arm andarranged to be rotated about the fixed axis of said loop to engage saidliquid contacts respectively.

6. A relay comprising an electro-magnet, a loop rotatably positioned inthe field of said magnet a pair of carriers adjustable in predeterminedpaths in a plane perpendicular to the fixed axis ofcsaid loop, a pair ofliquid contacts in alinement with said paths and supported by saidcarriers respectively, a connecting link operatively connected to butinsulated from said loop, and a pair of solid contacts carried by saidlink and arranged to be rotated about the fixed axis of said loop toengage said liquid contacts respectively.

This specification signed and witnessed this 19th day of Februa A. D.1913.

JOHN HAYS AMMOND, JR. Signed in the presence of- GEOF. CHRARY, M. P.Wnnm.

